Pump



2 Sheets-Sheet l J. E. LUCAS PUMP March 30, 1954 Filed May 27. 1949 INVENY'LOR. Jani/0645 BY W mwa/5&0#

J. E. LUCAS March 30, 1954 PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1949 lill. .I

INVENTOR. BY L/asf//f l 064.5

Patented Mar. 30, 1954 PUMP- Joseph E. Lucas, SeattlfWash., assgnor of onetenth to William Edward Hann Application May 27, 1949, Serial N o. 95,801

11 claims. (cl. 10a-152) This invention relates to hydraulic pumping systems particularly suitable for circulating the mud or drilling iiuid in the drilling of wells by the rotary type of drilling rig.

The main objects of this invention are: to provide a new and improved system of pumping by the movement of the diaphragm; to provide a highly eiiicient mud pump whose Weight and bulk are only a fraction of that of the standard mud pump of equal capacity which is pump; to provide a mud pump in which the iiuid 'being pumped will be completely sealed from the actu ating liquid and will not come in contact with the actuating mechanism, thereby eliminating cutting, scoring, and excessive wearing of the'parts; and to provide a new and improved system of this character which will eliminate the expense of accurately aligning the mud pump with the drivl.; ing mechanism aswell as the expensive driving connections now in common use with such machinery. Y

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a multiple number of the improved mud pumps for producing a uniform and non-pulsating discharge of mud;

YFig. 2 is a vertical medial sectional view oi' 1 the' preferred form of my improved `mud pump;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view ,of the mechanism enclosed in the circle 3 of Fig. 2;

. Fig 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the diaphragm in full discharge position; and

Fig. 5 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a well-known variable discharge pump for use in my improved pumping system.

At the present time, it is customary in the drilling of oil wells and the like by the rotary method to use mud pumps for circulating the drilling fluid, and which 4pumpsare of large size,

expensiveV construction, 'require frequent main`l f drives from the prime mover. usually of the V-belt type, and

tenance service with renewal and replacement of Y parts, and have a high initial cost.

Mud pumps now in use require very expensive These drives are due to the very high torque required to operate the pump, it requires a large number of the driving belts which, of course, must be housed-in, and which places certain limitations on the positioning of the units. In setting up such mud pumps it is, of course, necessary to have proper alignment or parallelism between the axes of the driving and driven pulleys of the V-belts, and such a drive necessarily requires the pump to be located closely adjacent to the driving belt pulley.

ln the present construction, a mud pump of the same capacity as the standard type now in use would weigh only a small fraction as much as the present pumps, and would have no limitation as to location by reason of its being connected to its prime mover by a hydraulic line. There would, of course, be no problem of alignment between the units, as the hydraulic lines connecting the units may be run at any convenient place, and the prime mover may be, and preferably is, located remotely with respect to the mud pump itself. The present construction also eliminates the necessity for any form of reduction gearing, with the result that a mud pump of equal capacity to the standard type now in use would cost far less than half as much.

In the drilling of deep oil wells and the like, the deeper the Well goes, the higher the pressure required for circulating the drilling fluid. When the well is iirst started, and for the first few thousand feet, a relatively low pressure will circulate the fluid in a satisfactory manner, but as the well goes down to greater depths, it requires a greater pressure to keep the drilling uid in circulation, with the result that in the standard type of mud. pump it is necessary, in the drilling of-very deep wells, to change and replace the cylinders of the discharge end of the pump two or three times during the drilling operation.

Also, in a drilling operation sometimes the pressure becomes so high that the drilling fluid suddenly and unexpectedly stops circulating by reason of encountering resistance greater than can be handled by the mud pump. In the prior types of pumps, a period of time is required to dismantle the discharge end of the mud pump, remove the liners, replace with small sized liners, and reassemble the pump. During this period of time, the drill cuttings suspended in the drill- `ing iiuid may settle in the well so as to create a much higher resistance than the resistance which stopped the pumps.

When using a pump of the present invention, increased resistance to flow of the drilling fluid will be instantly and automatically met by increased pressure output, although of decreased volume, up to the limit of pressure of the apparatus. Thus the drill cuttings have no opportunity to settle, but are kept in constant movement.

Steam driven mud pumps of the past had great virtue in the matter of flexibility of output. During the early stages of drilling a well, where the going is easy, usually with a large hole in soft formation, the steam driven pump gave a large volume of output, and this permitted rapid drilling. became deeper and the formations became harder, the steam pump automatically adjusted itself to the changing conditions and requirementsy and the higher the resistance encountered, the higher the output pressure of the pump became, until. the limit was reached. Now in the pump of the instant invention there is present the same exibility of automatic adjustment to the changing conditions between the starting of a well until its final depth is reached without manual adjustment or replacement of parts.

In the pumping system shown in the drawings, referring particularly to Fig. l, there is shown an installation of three main mud pumps generally designated S, 8, and iB having interconnected controls so that the pumps discharge in sequence, and thus produce a continuous and uniform output of work iiuid, although it will be understood that a greater or lesser number of these pumps may be connected up in this manner, and thus give a non-pulsating or steady uniform flow, with substantially no variance of volume or pressure as would be the case where a single pump would be used. While the pumps E, 8 and I0 are shown as having mechanically interconnected controls, it will also be understood that the controls may be interconnected electrically or by other suitable means, and that the disclosure shown is by way of illustration.

In the construction shown, a mud tank l2 is connected by a conduit I4 to a low pressure centrifugal type pump l which is preferably of the rubber lined type generally used as sand pumps and the like in which the impeller and interior surfaces have synthetic rubber bonded to the surfaces so as not to be readily cut out by abrasion. The discharge of the pump I6 is into a header conduit i8 which is provided with three branches 2Q, 22, and 24 leading to intake check valves generally designated 2G, 28, and 30, respectively.

The check valves are connected to the main pumps 5, 8, and l by conduits 32, 34, and 3G, respectively, which conduits also communicate with outlet check valves 33, 4E, and 42, respectively. The outlet valves are in turn connected to return branches 44, 45, and 4B, respectively, all of which communicate with a discharge header G which carries the output or discharge of the pumps to the drill stem of the drilling rig through the usual hose, swivel and driving or Kelly joint.

The interior constructions of the main pumps 6, 8, and IG are all substantially identical, and therefore a detailed description of one will suffice for all.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the main pump merely ,4

6 is shown in detail, as well as the intake check valve 26 and outlet check valve 38.

The main mud pump comprises a pair of semispherical members -52 and 54 of substantially identical shape and volumetric capacity having outwardly projecting iianges 55 and 52, respectively, integrally formed thereon which may be secured together in face-to-face relationship by a plurality of bolts 60. It will be understood, however, that in actual practice these members 52 and 54 do not necessarily need to be of semispherical shape, but may be considerably elongated so as to give greater or lesser capacity or volume to the pump, such shape being a matter of designers choice. The adjacent faces of the members 52 and 54 and their respective flanges are provided with registering annular grooves which receive, embrace, and tightly clamp the marginal edge of a flexible diaphragm 62 which may be of rubber, synthetic rubber, or other composition which gives a flexible diaphragm having long wearing qualities and able to withstand a large number of bendings or flexings without rupture, although it will be understood that the diaphragm 62 is not subjected to stretching or like distortion for the reason that its surface area, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, is equal to the interior surface area of the members 52 or 54, and thus merely forms a movable wall which separates the pump 6 into two compartments, the lower one, designated 64, being for the work fluid or mud which is to be pumped, and the upper one, designated 66, being for an actuating iluid such as oil.

The center of the diaphragm 62 is connected to a vertically disposed rod 68 by a disk I0 rigidly fixed to the rod which bears against the top side of the diaphragm, and an inverted saucer-shaped washer .'2 which embraces and bears against the under side of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is gripped between the disks 1U and 12 by the tightening of a nut 14 threaded on the rod 68, and which may be suitably adjusted to secure a tight liquid seal between opposite sides of the diaphragm.

The rod 68 extends downwardly and is slidable through a spider i6 located in the top end of the conduit 32. The rod G8 also extends upwardly and is slidable through a spider 18 1ocated in a vertically disposed tubular litting mounted on the top of the member 54 and in communication therewith. The top end of the rod 68 is provided with a collar 82 which engages the inner end of a control valvel operating lever 84 when in its lowermost position, and likewise engages the inner protruding end of a control valve operating lever 86 when moved to its uppermost position. The levers 84 and 86 are mounted to be moved in vertical planes, and are shown as being mounted on ball fulcrums which are sealed on their seats so as to make liquid tight joints between the inner and outer ends of the valve operating levers.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the inner end of the lever 85 is pivoted at 8B so that upward movement of the rod 68 and collar 82 will rock the inner pivoted end 90 upwardly as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3 without actuating the lever 86, but after the collar 82 passes thereby, it will then engage the underside of the collar and rock the lever 86 upwardly upon downward movement of the rod EB.

Means are provided for normally urging the rod 68 downwardly, and comprise a helical compression Sprng 92 which surrounds the upper end of the rod 68, and has its lower end bearing against the disk l0, and its upper end bearing against the spider 18.

The tubular or hollow fitting 80 is in communication with a power fluid line 94 which is connected through a pilot operated valve 96 to a high pressure automatically variable discharge pump 98 to which uid is supplied from a reserrelatively small pumping cylinders so that a plurality of discharge strokes is required in order to ll the compartment 66 and move the diaphravm to the position shown in Fig. 4. In this manner a hifzh speed, high pressure pump has its output converted to operate a low speed, high torque mud pump.

As shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the levers 84 and 8i are pivoted to rocker arms and links generally designated H12 which operate pilot valves |04, |06, and 08, respectively, for the pumping units 6, 8, and Il). Fluid is supplied to and exhausted from the pumping. unit 8 by a pilot operated control valve H0. and uid from the pump 9% is likewise supplied to and exhausted from the pumping unit lll by a pilot operated control valve H2. The arrangement of the pilot control valves I 04, |96 and 103 is such neet the next succeeding pumpinhr unit withthe f prevent rupture, strain or damage to the diaphragm 62 under any unusual operating condition. It will also be noted that the rod S8 not only controls the valving of the high pressure might iniure the material from which the diaphragm is made.

The helical compression springr serves to gov- When the venting of the upper compartment takes place, the lower pressure mud charging pump iills the lower compartment against the action of the compression spring, and during this llinfr action the spring controls and governs and resists the upward movement of the diaphragm.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the principle of this invention as dened by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a pump housing; a movable wall within said housing dividing the interior thereof into two compartand. thereby forcibly discharge the work :duid from said first compartment; and means actuated in response to movement of said movable wall for cycling the introduction and discharge of said actuating fluid.

2. A hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a purh p housing; a movable wall within said housing dividing the interior thereof into two com- 3. A hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a pump housing; a exible wall within said housing dividing the interior thereof into two compartments, the first or said compartments being provided for a work fluid to be pumped, and the pressure into said rst compartment to move said liexlble Wall from an initial position at one end of its travel to the opposite end of its travel; means in said pump housing governing the folding and exing of said flexible wall; means for delivering actuating fluid under pressure to said toits initial position and thereby forcibly discharging work uid from saidl first compartmentf'- and control means actuated in response to movement of said flexible wall for cycling the introduction and discharge of said actuating fluid.

Ll. A hydraulic pumping system as defined in claim 3, including means yieldably opposing movement of the flexible wall by the work fluid.

5. A hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a pump housing; a movable wall within said housing dividing the interior thereof into two compartments, the first of said compartments being provided for a work fluid to be pumped, and the second for an actuating fiuid to actuate said movable wall to effect pumping of said Work fluid; means providing an inlet and outlet for each of said compartments; means for introducing work fluid into said rst compartment to move said movable wall from an initial position at one end of its travel toward the opposite end of its travel; means for delivering actuating fluid under pressure to said second compartment to return said movable wail to its initial position and thereby forcibly discharge the work fluid from said first compartment; a valve element carried by said movable wall arranged to obstruct the outlet from said first compartment and form a closure therefor when said movable wall is returned to its said initial position; and control means actuated in response to movement of said movable wall governing the introduction and discharge of actuating fluid to and from said second chamber.

6. A hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a pump housing; a flexible diaphragm within said housing dividing the interior thereof into two compartments; the first of said compartments being provided for a work fluid to be pumped, and the second for actuating fluid for actuating said diaphragm to effect the discharge of said work fluid from said first compartment; means providing a common inlet and outlet passage for said second compartment; pump means for introducing work fluid under pressure into said first compartment to move said iiexible diaphragm from an initial position at one end of its travel to a position at the opposite end of its travel; means in said second compartment yieldably opposing movement of said flexible diaphragm from its said initial position; means for introducing actuating iiuid under pressure into said second chamber to return said flexible diaphragm to its initial position and thereby discharge the work fluid from said first compartment; means actuated in response to the movement of said fiexible diaphragm for controlling the introduction and exhaust of actuating fluid to and from said second compartment, said last mentioned means including a rod secured to said diaphragm; means guiding said rod for reciprocating movement, and means actuated by said rod as it approaches the end of its travel in opposite directions for governing said admission and exhaust of actuating fluid.

7. A hydraulic pumping system as defined in claim 6, wherein said means for guiding the rod for reciprocating movement comprises an element mounted in at least one of said passages.

8. A. hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a plurality of pumping instrumentalities operable in succession in predetermined sequence, each including a movable wall providing two compartments, the first of said compartments being provided. for a Work fluid to be pumped, and the second for an actuating iiuid for `actuating said movable Wall to eiiect pumping of; said work fiuid -from its associated first compartment, each of said compartments having inlet and outlet means; means to successively introduce Work uid into each first compartment to move said movable Wall from an initial position at one end of its travel to the opposite end of its travel; means for successively discharging actuating fluid into each second compartment to return the movable wall to its said initial position and thereby forcibly discharge the work fluid from the first compartments; separate conduit means for said actuating fluid and said work fluid; and control means including elements actuated in sequence in response to the movement of each movable wall as it approaches one end of its stroke for controlling the actuating fluid so that it is introduced into one second compartment and substantially simultaneously exhausted from another second compartment.

9. A hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a plurality of pumps operable in succession in predetermined sequence, each pump including a housing, a movable wall in said housing dividing the interior thereof into two compartments, the first of said compartments being provided for a work fluid to be pumped, and the second for an actuating fluid i'or actuating said movable wall to effect pumping of said Work fluid from its associated first compartment; means providing an inlet and outlet for each of said compartments; means to successively introduce work fluid into the first compartment of the respective pumps to move said movable wall from an initial position at one end of its travel to the opposite end of its travel; means for successively delivering actuating fluid under pressure to the second cornpartment of the respective pumps to return the movable wall associated therewith to its said initial position and thereby forcibly discharge the work iiuid from said second compartments; separate conduit means for said actuating fluid and said work fluid; and control means including elements actuated in sequence in response to the movement of each movable wall as it approaches one end of its stroke, for controlling the actuating fluid so that it is introduced into the second compartment of one pump and substantially simultaneously exhausted from the second compartment of another pump.

10. A hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a plurality of pumps operable in succession in predetermined sequence, each pump including a housing, a movable wall in said housing dividing the interior thereof into two compartments, the first of said compartments being provided for a work iiuid to be pumped and the second for an actuating fluid to actuate said movable wall to effect pumping of said work fluid from its associated first compartment; means providing an inlet and outlet for each of said compartments; means for delivering a work fluid to the first compartment of each of said pumps; means for delivering actuating fluid to the second compartment of each of said pumps including conduit means having a pilot valve for controlling the supply and exhaust of actuating fiuid to each pump; a control valve connected with each of said pilot valves; means actuated in sequence in response to the movement of the movable wall of each pump for sequentially actuating the control valves as the movable walls approach the opposite ends of their stroke; and means interconnecting the control valve of each pump with the corresponding pilot valve of each pump to thereby sequentially control the admission and exhaust of actuating fluid to and from the second compartment of each pump.

11, A hydraulic pumping system, comprising: a plurality of pumps operable in succession in predetermined sequence, each pump including a housing, a movable Wall in said housing dividing the interior thereof into two compartments, the first of said compartments being provided for a Work uid to be pumped and the second for an actuating fluid to actuate said movable Wall to effect pumping of said Work iiuid from its associated rst compartment; means providing an and outlet for each of said compartments; a mud tank; a low pressure centrifugal pump having an inlet connected with said mud tank; a header conduit connected to the discharge of said centrifugal pump; a supply branch conduit extending from said header conduit adapted to be placed in communication With the iirst compartment of each of said pumps; a return branch conduit adapted to be placed in communication With the rst compartment of each of said pumps; a discharge header connected with each of said return branch conduits; an inlet valve disposed between each automatically variable positive output pump having its inlet connected with said reservoir a control valve connected with each of said pilot valves; means actuated in sequence in response to the movement of the movable Wall Number Name Date 1,909,145 Berenbruch May 16, 1933 2,186,972 Hollander et al. 1 1 Jan. 16, 1940 2,212,667 Mayer Aug. 27, 1940 2,260,306 Ferguson Oct. 28, 1941 2,419,993 Green May 6, 1947 

